The new World Energy Outlook from the International Energy Agency (IEA) spells out two major challenges. It:
• “Identifies higher oil prices, coupled with the downturn in oil sector investment, as a serious threat to the world economy, just as it is beginning to recover“.
• Suggests that “a profound transformation of the energy sector” is required, to achieve the Copenhagen goal of restricting greenhouse gases to 450ppm of CO2 equivalent.
OPEC is also now concerned about potential demand destruction at today’s high oil prices. A year ago it cut output dramatically, as the financial crisis hit. But it is now tacitly encouraging more production. Quota adherence is just 61% today, versus 89% in March.
Most significantly, Saudi Arabia allocated increased supplies to Asian refiners this week. And Oil Minister al-Naimi “maintained that price extremes in the low and high ends are not sustainable“, and made clear that he favours increased control of commodity exchanges to reduce today’s, trader-inspired, high levels of volatility.
On the Copenhagen agenda, the IEA noted that “energy efficiency is the largest contributor, accounting for over half of total abatement by 2030 (whilst) low-carbon energy technologies also play a crucial role.” This represents both a problem and an opportunity for the chemical industry.
Increased energy efficiency will require increased investment, which will not be easy in today’s financial climate. But it will also drive increased use of chemicals and polymers in key industries such as housing and autos. Similarly, the process engineering skills that support the chemical industry will be vital for successful development of low carbon technologies.